Indonesia in 2022: Post-COVID Recovery Meets New Global Challenges

Summary

The year 2022 marked the second year of Indonesia's economic recovery after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from the economic, health and social scourges of the pandemic, Indonesia also felt the effects of the war in Ukraine. As has been the case for many other countries, rising fuel and food prices brought into sharp focus the need to prioritize food security through both domestic measures and international diplomacy. Indeed, 2022 was the year for Indonesia, and President Joko Widodo (also known as Jokowi), to make its mark on the international stage with the hosting of the Group of Twenty (G20), where it could raise the issues of food security, environmental protection and economic growth. With the controversial passing of the new criminal code, however, Indonesia's successes will be tempered by questions about the quality of its democratic institutions as it moves into a heated campaigning season ahead of the 2024 elections.

Election Ferment and Jokowi's Legacy

Election ferment for the 2024 polls was on the rise in 2022. Several prominent figures indicated their interest in running in the presidential race, with some already securing major party endorsements. These include Jokowi's former rival and current defence minister Prabowo Subianto, the recent governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan, and Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo. Popular vicepresidential candidates include minister of tourism and creative economy Sandiaga Uno, minister of state-owned enterprises (SOE) Erick Thohir, West Java governor Ridwan Kamil, Democrat Party chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (the eldest son of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono), and Speaker of the House of Representatives Puan Maharani (the daughter of Megawati Sukarnoputri, another former president and the current chair of the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle [PDI-P]).

For the most part, Indonesian politics in 2022 was marked by expediency and flexibility over strict loyalties. With the popularity of Jokowi and of other political figures who have made their mark as capable technocratic managers, solid track records are likely to appeal to Indonesian voters. Jokowi's party, the PDI-P, was the only party in the 2019 elections that won the required twenty per cent of legislative seats to be allowed to unilaterally nominate a presidential ticket in 2024.